These pages are designed to support developers and planners to consider health and well-being early in design through:
- maximising the positive impacts that support health and well-being.
- reducing the negative impacts that support health and well-being.
Identifying action to enhance positive impacts and reduce any negative ones can clearly demonstrate how the proposal can contribute to:
- reducing inequalities
- promoting good health & well-being
- supporting environments and social relationships
- maximising social and economic value to society
Why plan for health?
The World Health Organisation defines health as;
‘A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. Not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’.
Health is much wider than health-care facilities such as GPs and hospitals. This includes the wider determinants. Better described as ‘the building blocks’ of health.
The 'Town and Country Planning Association (2024)' highlights that half of our overall health is shaped by the places around us, the building blocks of health.
The options and opportunities available to us shape our health.
The animation ‘Healthy Place Making in Cornwall’ encourages us all to think differently about what makes us healthy. It introduces the building blocks of health and explores why they are important.
Everything, from
- access healthy and affordable food
- safe spaces for daily movement and socialising
impacts the chances and choices people have.
This includes;
- the air we breathe
- the spaces we use,
- and the places where we live, work, play and spend time with others
It also includes how we move around our area.
All these things are important for keeping us healthy and many of these things are influenced by planning.
Neighbourhood design
How our neighbourhoods are designed can help or harm the health and well being of the people who live there.
They can help communities connect or make them feel separated. This is through positive and negative impacts.
The design can influence behaviours like;
- walking
- wheeling
- and cycling
It can also influence how safe we feel and the services we have access to.
Spatial Planning for Health (Public Health England, 2018) sets out three evidence-based ways to improve how neighbourhoods are designed:
- enhance neighbourhood walk ability - this is by making neighbourhoods easy to walk around so people can move about safely and easily
- build neighbourhoods that are complete and compact - his includes increased access to a mix of homes, shops, services, and other local facilities close by
- improve connectivity with safe and efficient infrastructure
Health and well-being features developers could include
- increase walking, wheeling and cycling - this could be by providing spaces to rest and socialise with others, developers could also provide cycling parking and storage
- ensure neighbourhoods are complete and compact - by increasing access to facilities and amenities
- ensure infrastructure is safe and efficient - this could be by including street lighting and pedestrian prioritisation
Housing
The quality, affordability and diversity of homes can influence health and well-being both positively and negatively.
Living in;
- an affordable
- well-built
- and good quality home
that meets individuals needs improves mental and physical health.
Spatial Planning for Health (Public Health England, 2018) sets out three evidence based ways to improve how homes are designed:
- improve quality of homes
- increase provision of affordable and diverse homes
- increase provision of affordable housing for groups with specific needs
Health and well-being features developers could consider
- providing energy efficient homes with good daylight and ventilation
- increase provision of affordable and diverse housing to meet local population need - this could be by including affordable rent, social rent, shared ownership, developments could also include housing that meets the needs of specific vulnerable groups such as those with long-term conditions or those experiencing homelessness
Further reading
Briefing by Homes England on ‘Healthy Homes’. The document includes five core requirements including;
- inclusivity
- amenity
- efficiency
- comfort
- and control
View the briefing document 'Healthy Homes'
Healthier food environment
Everyone should be able to access;
- fresh
- affordable
- and nutritious food
no matter where they live.
Our food environment is influenced by how close retail food outlets are and the types of food easily available.
A whole systems approach is needed to support making healthier foods more accessible and to increase provision of low-cost healthier foods.
Spatial Planning for Health (Public Health England, 2018) sets out three evidence based ways to improve healthier food environments:
- provision of healthier, affordable, food for the general population
- enhance community food infrastructure
Health and well-being features developers could consider
- provide healthier, affordable food for all - this could be by increasing access to retail outlets selling healthier food and decreasing exposure to unhealthy food environments
- increasing access to healthier food environments in schools - this could be by taking a universal whole systems schools’ approach to the food environment
- enhance community food infrastructure - this could be by considering opportunities for urban food growing and provision and access to allotments and adequate garden space, other opportunities could include community orchard growing spaces and shared allotment spaces
Further reading
Food Active.org toolkit
For planners, developers and communities to create healthy food environments.
The National Allotment Society guide
This details including allotments in new developments.
Chief Planning Officer Advice Note on hot food takeaway premises.
This document provides guidance to guide greater consistency when making planning decisions on hot food takeaways in Cornwall.
Natural and sustainable environments
Our surroundings impact our ability to live healthy lives both positively and negatively.
Our surroundings shape;
- how we move
- connect
- and live
Pollution and lack of green space can negatively affect our health.
While access to the natural environment and reducing exposure to environmental hazards improve health and well-being.
Improving access to the natural environment can;
- increase physical activity opportunities
- and social connectivity
Spatial Planning for Health (Public Health England, 2018) sets out three evidence-based ways to improve natural and sustainable environments:
- reduce exposure to environmental hazards such as excessive noise and air pollution exposure
- access to and engagement with the natural environment.
- adaption to climate change including tackling climate change.
Health and well-being features developers could consider:
- reduce exposure to environmental hazards - this could be by reducing the risk of flooding, reducing excessive noise, and improving air quality
- improving access to and supporting engagement with the natural environment - this could be by improving parks by adopting signage an adapting to climate change. This could be by prioritising neighbourhood tree planting
Further reading
The Green Infrastructure Framework by Natural England has a page for developers and planners. This page lists how the framework can support them in meeting requirements for the NPPF and designing attractive and desirable places to live.
Green Infrastructure Framework
Transport, movement and connectivity
Transport can affect our health directly.
This is through the benefits of active travel such as;
- walking
- wheeling
- and cycling
Transport also affects our health indirectly. This is by connecting us with the other building blocks of health.
This could be;
- employment
- and education
Air and noise pollution can have a direct negative impact on our health and well-being. Road safety has a direct impact on our physical health.
Road collisions are a major cause of preventable death and serious injury.
Some of these negative features are unevenly distributed across neighbourhoods.
Good integrated transport systems connect us to our family and friends.
It enables us to access key facilities such as
- schools
- colleges
- parks
- libraries
- and shops
It also allows us to access leisure activities as well as healthcare facilities like hospitals and GP surgeries.
- where we live
- our age
- income
- and disability status
can influence the different barriers we face when using public transport. This can cut us off from things we all need for day-to-day life.
Transport poverty and transport related social exclusion is often a problem for people with low incomes. It is also often a problem for people who live in rural or areas with limited public transport.
Spatial Planning for Health (Public Health England, 2018) sets out four evidence-based ways to improve transport:
- investing in the provision of active travel infrastructure
- provision of public transport
- prioritise active travel and road safety
- enable mobility for all ages and activities
Health and well-being features developers could include
- provision of integrated transport systems - this includes active travel infrastructure and public transport that join together and encourage the use of public transport
- prioritise active travel and road safety - this could be by giving priority to pedestrians, wheeler's and cyclists, developers could also use traffic calming measures. They could also invest in public realm improvements such as benches and cycle storage
- enable mobility for all ages and activities - this could be by considering age friendly design
- enable walking, wheeling and cycling to school, workplaces and recreational places such as parks and green spaces
Further reading
The Walk, Wheel, Cycle Trust design guide
Guide on traffic-free routes and green ways.
Assessing the active travel merits for development proposals.
Creating Age-Friendly Developments Guide
Creating Age-Friendly Developments guide
Tools to consider Health and Well-being in design
Health and well-being lies at the heart of planning and planning can do much to improve and protect health and well-being.
Various tools can be used to consider and assess health and well-being in design.
Completing a health impact assessment on development proposals enables the developer to demonstrate their assessment of the health and well-being implications.
Tools include;
- HIA- Health Impact Assessments are a robust and validated tool to consider health impacts of planning decisions. The assessment aims to enhance the potential positive aspects of a proposal and minimise any negative impacts. HIAs are not a policy line in the NPPF or Cornwall Council’s current Local Plan. Conducting a voluntary HIA can be a useful tool and are used successfully by many other councils. If you would like support with considering or completing an HIA please get in touch
- London’s Healthy Urban Development Unit - provides further advice and assessment tools on Health Impact Assessments
- WHIASU- The Wales Health Assessment Support Unit (WHIASU) offers a range of tools and resources including an assessment checklist.
If you would like help and support on anything to do with public health in planning or completing a voluntary HIA you can contact the Public Health team by submitting a query through our contact form.
Further reading
- HAUS (Health Appraisal of Urban Systems) Tool: Developed by TRUUD (Tackling Root Causes of Urban Design) to provide robust evidence on the impacts of urban improvements. The tool can help developers understand the potential health and economic impacts of their proposals.
- The Association of Directors of Public Health: Briefing on’ What Good Local Spatial Planning for Healthy Places Looks Like’.
- TCPA Healthy Place Making Guide: Provides an outline of the importance of planning in creating healthier places.
Sources of data for Cornwall to support health in planning
The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
This area provides information on health and well-being and on health inequalities throughout Cornwall. The information can help developers consider how their development/proposal may impact the local area and adjust their designs.
View our Join Strategic Needs Assessment pages
Pharmacy Needs Assessment
The Pharmacy Needs Assessment is a statutory function for local authorities to produce. The PNA is published every 3 years and looks at where pharmacies are located, what services they provide, and any gaps in provision.